This is a season of celebration and excitement for our students and their families. In addition to joy and delight, though, the season can also bring pressures and stresses for children and adults alike. It can be very helpful to everyone to try to keep things gentle, to try to slow down, and to take time to just breathe! Here is a short mindfulness practice that may be useful:

Find a comfortable place and sit down—this can be on the floor, on a chair or couch.

Take three deep breaths, slowly inhaling, and perhaps pausing for three or four seconds before exhaling even more slowly.

Now—Notice:

What do you see? (Lights twinkling on a tree or in the windows? A beloved pet dozing at your feet or beside you? Bright colors of clothing or wrapping paper? The sky outside the window? Decorations on the walls or on a mantel? Or…?)

Now, close your eyes.

What do you hear? (People walking or talking in other rooms? The sounds of a woodstove or furnace? The crackling of a fire in a fireplace? Pets “talking” in their own pet languages? Or…?

What do you feel? (Can you feel the support of the seat beneath you? Your feet on the ground or your socks or shoes on your feet? Can you feel the air? The warmth or coolness of the room? Or…?)

What do you smell? (The fragrance of a Christmas tree or scented candle? The scent of baking or cooking? The smell of soap or lotion or soap? The smoky fragrance of a woodfire? Or…?)

What do you taste? (The lingering sweetness of a candy cane or cookie in your mouth? The saltiness of a savory snack? The lingering traces of toothpaste in your mouth?)

Take three more deep breaths. Notice how you feel. Before opening your eyes (if they are closed), before getting up to resume your tasks and activities, make a promise to yourself about the rest of the day. Do you want to carry a sense or peacefulness with you? Can you take another moment later in the day, even if just before you go to sleep at bedtime, to just be, to rest, notice, observe? What makes you feel grateful?

Now, take your arms and cross them in front of your body. Place a hand on each shoulder and give yourself a hug. Lift the corners of your mouth, just a tiny bit, into a small smile.

And continue your day.

Have a safe and happy and joyful and peaceful Christmas/holiday break!

Robin Gregg, School Counselor

Mrs. Hill's 3/4 class and Mrs. Moore's 3rd grade class continue to study New Hampshire's winter birds. We haven't seen any feathered (or furry) visitors yet, but we have created enticing treats for them. Garlands made of fruit, seed ornaments, a fully decorated and edible Christmas tree, and feeding stations with suet, nuts, seeds, and even mealworms. Our hope is that by the time we get back from the holiday break, the birds will have discovered our gifts and will be regular visitors to observe outside our classroom windows. They have inspired some art projects, and we are ready to identify them with the colored guides we created, and will keep you posted!